2. We are Germany

3. How to celebrate our National Day
We don‘t like big bonfires.
We don‘t like big torchlight processions
We had too much in German History
Reichstag fire
February, 27th,1933
January 31st, 1933 Berlin
May, 10th, 1933
Book burning

4. Two German Countries - separated for more than 40 years, by the cold war, a wall and political interests of different political systems - have to learn to be one nation, one country. Have to learn to speak one language. We have to learn to be a new generation of proud and self-confident people in a beautiful and peaceful country.

5. The end of World War 2 opens a new gate for a democratic Germany

6. ? WHEN?, WHAT?, WHY? You may think:" What's the problem, guys?”
Follow us! Let’s jump into the time machine to get a brief overview of German National Day History. ?
Let‘s run…
May, 8th
October, 3rd
May, 23rd
October, 7th
November, 9th
June, 17th
August, 13th

7. German Democratic Republic
Between 1945 and 1949 Germany and also Berlin were divided in 4 sectors. The economic, political, and cultural development in the British, American and French zones of occupation were totally different from the development in the Soviet sector. The result were two German states with two different political and economic systems.
German Democratic Republic
October, 7th 1949
Federal Republic of Germany
May, 23rd 1949

8. Life went on, until August 13th, 1961 changed everything.
The Government of the GDR began to build a wall in Berlin, both German states should be disconnected for decades
and an iron curtain went through Europe.

9. Summer of 1989 The wall separated Germany, families,
a whole nation for 40 years. All that changed, as in the summer of 1989 the small GDR got into the general public interest.
Peaceful GDR citizens gathered in churches to discuss and reflect the future of their country.
The protest got louder and louder. The so called “Monday demonstration” became a big movement.
Thousands of GDR citizens tried to leave the GDR with the help of the German Embassies in Prague and in Hungaria. They tried to enforce their free departure to the Federal Republic of Germany.
The GDR government got under big pressure and they had to allow these thousands to leave the GDR.
More and more Monday civil rights activists met in Leipzig and protested in silence, with candles against the GDR Government policy

10. Impressions of an unforgettable Year 1989
Monday in Leipzig
Impressions of an unforgettable Year 1989
Embassy of the FRG in Prague

11. Happy days
The Berlin Wall is History

12. My own wall-pecker pictures - handmade
Brandenburg Gate, from the east
November, 13th 1989
”I was so enthusiastic that I came directly to Berlin
and I saw how a legion of wall-peckers
tried to tear down the wall.“

13. A new Nation is born October, 3rd 1990

14. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.